Nigerian Labor Minister Says Government Will Not Tolerate Discrimination Against HIV-Positive Workers

Nigerian Labor Minister Hassan Muhammad Lawal on Monday at the Africa-Middle East Regional HIV/AIDS and Wellness Conference said his country's government would not tolerate discrimination against HIV-positive workers, Nigeria's Daily Trust reports (Gulloma, Daily Trust, 9/25). Lawal said that HIV-positive people are productive and can contribute to the economy. He added that discrimination against people living with HIV/AIDS is "against fundamental principles and rights at work."

Lawal praised British American Tobacco's efforts to implement national work-force policy on HIV/AIDS and called on other businesses to implement the policy. Kervel du Toit, the company's human resource director in Africa and the Middle East, said BAT's campaign against HIV/AIDS in the workplace had increased workers' productivity and wellness (John, Leadership/AllAfrica.com, 9/25). Lawal added that employers should involve workers in the implementation of HIV prevention and education programs (Daily Trust, 9/25).

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